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Saturday, March 19, 2016

Supreme Court

NBC Actually Grills WH Chief of Staff on Obama’s ‘Supreme’ Hypocrisy

By Kyle Drennen

Judge Merrick Garland

In an interview with White House chief of staff Denis McDonough on Thursday, Today
co-host Savannah Guthrie surprisingly held President Obama accountable
for opposing Republican Supreme Court nominees in the past while calling
on the GOP to approve his now.
After McDonough called on the Senate to “do its job” and allow a vote
on Merrick Garland, Guthrie countered: “When it comes to these judicial
nominations, perhaps neither side has clean hands entirely. Back when
Senator Obama was in office he voted against Justice Robert’s nomination
and Justice Alito’s nomination. So is this a case of what’s good for
the goose is what’s good for the gander? How does he explain that now?”
McDonough claimed: “…in both of those cases not only did senators
meet with and give a hearing to those candidates, but in fact, they
voted on them. And that’s exactly the process that we’re asking for
here.”
Guthrie promptly corrected him: “But, Denis, President Obama voted to
filibuster Justice Alito, which is another way of saying not bring him
to the Senate floor for a full vote.”
McDonough argued that because that effort failed the President was
off the hook: “Well, in fact, what they did have is a series of hearings
and then they had a vote out of committee, then they had a debate on
the Senate floor. That filibuster was stopped and he was voted on to the
court. That’s exactly the way – ”
Guthrie demanded: “So he doesn’t regret being part of that?” McDonough dodged the question.
Wrapping up the exchange, fellow co-host Matt Lauer wondered if the
President had “one firm ally on the Republican side in the Senate that
he feels will help him get this to a hearing and confirmation?”
McDonough couldn’t name one and Lauer pressed: “But does the President have a real firm ally on the Republican side?”
The presidential aide declared: “…we heard several, more than a
handful of Republican senators agreeing to meet with him [Garland]. We
think that’s a good start. But this is not rocket science, here, Matt.
All they need to do is do what the Constitution says, give him a
hearing, give him a vote, and let’s fill that vacancy.”Editor’s note. This appeared at newsbusters.org.